Hay-fork.



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J. A. WATSON.

HAY FORK.

1,003,833 APPLICATION FILED SEPT. D, 1910. Patented Sept. 19 2BHEETB-BHBET 1. @Z77- #im uw wx-W f E. lww.-

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APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. a, 1910. 1,003,833, Patented Sept. 19,1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TGHN A. WATSON, 0F RAYMOND, ILLINOIS.

HAY-FORK.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,JoI^IN A. l/VATSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Raymond, in the county of Montgomery and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I-Iay- Forks; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This `invention relates to hay forks and has for its object to provide adevice of this kind having two sets of tines so constructed and arrangedthat one or both sets can be extended to operate in the hay or likematerial.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel means forbringing the tines into operative position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel hay fork whichis particularly simple in construction, cheap and easy to manufacture,strong, durable and eilicient.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the novelconstruction of the fork and particularly in the novel means employedfor bringing the two sets of tines into and out of operative position.

The invention further consists in the novel construction for operatingthe means controlling the movement of the tines.

The invention further consists in certain other novel details ofconstruction and'in combinations of parts all of which will be firstfully described and afterward specifically ointed out in the appendedclaims.

Re erring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of ahay fork constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the fork. Fig. 3 is avertical sectional view illustrating the device with one set of tines lfolded and the otherl set in operative position. Fig. 4 is a similarview showing both sets of tines in a folded position. Fig. 5 is ahorizontal sectional `view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is ahorizontal sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

` Fig. `7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 4,and Fig. 8 is a detail Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept.19, 1911. Application led September 9, 1910.

Serial No. 581,319.

elevation of the operating mechanism for controlling the positions ofthe tines.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout theseveral figures in which;

1 indicates the device which comprises the shell or casing 2, said shellor casing 2 being provided at its top with an annular guard or stop 3which limits the extent of entrance of the fork into the hay or likematerial. As will appear from the drawings the bottom end of the shellor casing 2 is pointed at 4 to facilitate the entrance of the fork intothe hay or like material.

5 indicates the movable core which co1nprises two sections 6 and 7 thesection 7 being pivoted at 8 to the section 6 as clearly shown in Fig.2. The section 6 of the core 5 carries the lower pair of tines 9, saidlower pair of tines 9 being pivoted together and to the lower end of thecore 5 at the point 10, said construction being more clearly shown inFig. 6.

As will appear from Figs. 2 and 5 the upper pair of tines 11 are pivotedat 12 to the shell or casing 2, said tines 11 being each provided withan arm 13 which is directly in the path of movement of the core 5 aswill appear from Fig. 2. The shell or casing 2 is provided with a slot14 on opposite sides thereof which extends from a point just above theupper pair of tines 11 to the bottom end of the shell or casing 2through which slots both pairs of tines .9 and 11 operate as clearlyshown in the drawings.

As will appear from Figs. 2, 3 and 4 the shell or casing 2 is providedat the upper end thereof with a transverse pin or bolt 15, saidtransverse pin or bolt 15 being preferably square in cross section asshown in the drawings, and it will also appear that the sections G and 7of the core 5 are provided with three series of registering notches 16,17 and 18, an opening or slot 19 being provided between the contiguousfaces of the sections G and 7 in such manner that the said sections 6and 7 can operate longitudinally within the Shell or casing 2 in amanner which will be presently described.

Referring now to the operating mechanism 20 it will be seen that thesame comprises a small ratchet wheel 2]Y having preferably four teeth22, said wheel 21 being carried on a plate 23 which plate 23 and ratchetwheel 21 are pivoted at 24 to the upper end of the section 7 of the core5 and as will appear from the drawings a coil spring 25 connected at oneend to the loop 26 of the fork and at its other end to the pivoted plate23 maintains said plate 23 in its normal position shown in Figs. 1 and4, and as will appear from the drawings a spring actuated pawl 27 iscarried on the pivoted plate 23 and arranged in the path of the ratchetwheel 21 in such manner as to engage and hold the ratchet wheel againstrotation in one direction which direction is contrary to that of thehands of a watch, although as will be clearly apparent the ratchet wheelis free to rotate inthe opposite direction or in the direction ofrotation of the hands of a watch.

Carried on the section 6 of the core 5 and in the path of rotation ofthe teeth 22 of the ratchet wheel 21 is a lug or pin 28 shown in dottedlines in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 the operating line 29 is provided andconnected to the pivoted plate 23 for the purpose of operating thedevice. Carried also on the pivoted section 7 of the core 5 is avertically movable plate or stop 30 (Fig. 8) commanded by a coil spring31 and guided on two pins or rods 32, said plate or stop 30 beingnormally in engagement with two of the teeth 22 of the ratchet wheel 21in order to stop but not lock the said ratchet wheel against rotation inthe direction of rotation of the hands of a watch.

Having thus described the several parts of this invention its operationis as follows: The device being folded or rather the two pairs of tines9 and 11 being in a folded position as shown in Fig. 4 the fork isthrust into hay, when the upper pair of tines 11 can be opened intooperative position in the following manner: rJhe operating line 29 ispulled to throw the pivoted plate 23 into posit-ion shown in Fig. 2.This movement of the pivoted plate 23 rotates the ratchet wheel 21causing one of its teeth 22 to engage and act upon the pin or stop 28 onthe section 6 of the core 5, and by reason of the inclined or curvedform of the teeth 22 of the ratchet wheel 21 the pivoted section 7 ofthe core 5 is separated from the section 6 of the core 5 and swung onits pivot 8 in such manner as to cause the entire core 5 to drop by itsown weight into position shown in Fig. 3. "Within the shell or casing 2and as the teeth 22 of the ratchet wheel 21 are released from the pin 28on the section 6 the coil spring 25 draws the pivoted section 7 backinto its normal position and causes the two sections 6 and 7 to cometogether so that the transverse pin or bolt 15 will lie within theregistering notches 17 in the contiguous faces of the sections 6 and 7.This movement of the core 5 within the casing 2 in a longitudinaldirection causes the core 5 to engage the arms 13 of the upper pair oftines 11 and open said tines into position shown in Fig. 3. When it isdesired to bring the lower set of tines into operative position theoperating cord 29 is again pulled which causes the ratchet wheel 21 toact on the pin or stop 28 on the section 6 of the core 5 which againswings the section 7 on its pivot 8 allowing the entire core 5 to dropdown into position shown in Fig. 1 and as the pin or stop 28 is releasedby the ratchet wheel 21 the transverse pin or bolt 15 is maintainedwithin the registering notches 18 in the contiguous faces of thesections 6 and 7 of the core 5, thus maintaining both sets or pairs oftines in operative position for action on the hay or like material, andas the ratchet wheel 21 is locked against rotation in one direction bythe spring actuated pawl 27 and yieldingly held against rotation in theopposite direction by the plate or stop 30 said wheel cannot be broughtinto engagement with the v pin or stop 28 unless carried into engagementtherewith by the operating line 29.

Having thus fully described this invention what I claim as new anddesire to se- 'cure by Letters Patent of the United States, isz

1. A device of the character described comprising a shell or casing, alongitudi` nally movable core within said shell or casing including apivoted and resiliently engaged member, a pair of tines pivoted withinsaid shell or casing and arranged to fold therein a pair of tinespivoted to said core, and means for operating said core to open one orboth sets of said pivoted tines including a rotary toothed membercarried upon said pivoted member, said core having an adjunctive memberengaged by the teeth of said rotary toothed member. Y

2. A device of the character described, embracing a shell or casing, alongitudinally movable core arranged within said shell or casing andhavinga pivoted resiliently engaged member, said core and pivoted memberhaving complemental notches in opposite surfaces thereof, a stop memberreceived by any two opposed complemental notches, a rotary toothedmember carried by said pivoted member, an additional pivoted membercarried by the aforesaid pivoted member, means carried by saidadditional pivoted member for engaging a tooth of said rotary member,said core having an adjunctive member engaged by the teeth of saidrotary member, means for actuating said rotary member, and tines pivotedwithin said casing or shell and adapted to be actuated' by said core asin extending the tines beyondv said shell or casing.

3. A device of the character described, embracing a shell or casing, alongitudinally movable core arranged within said shell or casing andhaving a pivoted resiliently engaged member, said core and pivotedmember having complemental notches in opposite surfaces thereof, a stopmember engaging any tWo opposed complemental notches, a toothed Wheeland a pivoted pawl carrying plate carried by said pivoted member, meansfor actuating said pawl carrying plate, a resiliently engaged stopcarried at the upper end of said pivoted Ine1nber, said stop havingfrictional engagement With the teeth of said Wheel, said core carrying alateral projection near its upper end adapted to be engaged by the teethof said Wheel, the paWl carried by said plate engaging the teeth of saidWheel, tines pivoted within said shell and pivoted tines carried by saidcore, the first referred to tines adapted to be engaged and extendedbeyond said shell or casing by said core, the core carried tines alsobeing adapted to be extended beyond said shell or casing.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of twoWitnesses.

JOHN A. WATSON.

Witnesses:

J. E. MCDAVID, J. C. TERRY.

` v(topics of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

